County creates agency to put to end perennial drugs shortage in health facilities

Keen to end the perennial drug shortage in Nyamira, Governor Amos Nyaribo's administration has created an agency to address and end the perennial drug shortage in its healthcare facilities.

All medical supplies will now be managed by the Nyamira County Health Products and Technologies Agency, a semi-autonomous body that will oversee procurement, supply, and management of all products and technologies in the devolved unit's 120 healthcare facilities.

The Agency will be operationalized with initial seeding from the County Treasury, and it will be run through a special fund dubbed Nyamira County Healthcare Products and Technologies Revolving Fund.

The agency that is yet to be formally instituted will be run by a chief executive who will be competitively appointed and a Board that will be appointed by the governor.

The Agency will be operating under the Nyamira County Healthcare Products and Technologies Financing Act (2025).

Dr Donald Mogoi, County CEC for health, said the Agency, once constituted, will relieve the county of lengthy procurement processes of consumables in hospitals that are often pegged on the availability of funds from the National exchequer since the agency will be running its accounts using revolving cash.

According to Dr Mogoi, the County Government will only provide seed money to the agency for it to attain its own sustainability in terms of funding.

“We want to do away with the scenario where patients are given prescriptions, but there are no drugs in our stores. Once we have the revolving fund, then procurement cycles can be efficiently managed,” Dr Mogoi said.

Bosamaro Ward MCA Charles Keganda, who is the County Assembly’s Health Committee Chairman, said the legislation will be a magic wand to the problem of drugs shortage that has been bedeviling healthcare facilities.

“We can be able to do the necessary procurement of required products and technologies with enhanced efficiency. We shall be offering them to our clients at highly subsidized costs,” Keganda said.

Governor Nyaribo congratulated the Health Department and the MCAs for driving the legislation process effectively.

The County Assembly will set the timelines for implementation of the by-law after officially enacting it and making appropriations for the take-off.

The revolving fund is among three pieces of legislation that the Public has already given approval.

Others are the Nyamira County Community Health Services (Amendment) Act 2024, which will hand community health promoters a lifeline as county employees, and the Nyamira County Facilities Infrastructure Improvement Fund (FIIF).